Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard is happy with where his team is ahead of the 2024 Caribbean Premier League playoffs set to begin on October 1 in Guyana.

With two games left for them in the preliminary phase of the tournament, the four-time champions have a record of five wins and three losses in their eight games.

“From a performance perspective, we’ve played eight games. Won five, lost three. We’ll take that. The first step in any tournament is to qualify. If we were in fifth place or sixth place it’d be a different conversation. You expect this to happen. It’s T20 cricket,” Pollard said in a press conference on Thursday ahead of their game against the Barbados Royals at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.

“Given all the obstacles that we’ve had transpire throughout this season, we’ll take where we are at this particular time. We have an opportunity to finish in the top two. We still have to play good, consistent cricket,” he added.

The major obstacle that Pollard referred to in his comments on Thursday was the number of injuries that have hampered his team’s ability to field their best eleven consistently throughout their eight outings.

“Throughout the entire tournament we’ve been hampered by injuries. We have not mentioned what sort of injuries we’ve had throughout and we’ve had to sort of chop and change. That might’ve caused a lot of discussion amongst fans as to why this one and that one is not playing but we had to battle that,” he said.

Nevertheless, Pollard commended his team for their performance despite the circumstances.

“The way how the guys have battled forward through injuries, coming in at the late stages, we have to commend them for their efforts,” he said.

The Knight Riders and the Royals have met 24 times in the past with the Knight Riders holding a 15-9 edge.

Their last meeting came on September 13 when the Knight Riders won a thriller by two wickets with one ball remaining at the Kensington Oval.

The Knight Riders, currently fourth in the standings with 10 points, could secure a top two spot with wins in their final two games over the Royals and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

“It’s known in the dressing room what needs to be done and hopefully, all the experience that we have and the exuberance of the youth as well will come forth and we’ll be able to finish the tournament a lot more consistently,” Pollard said.

 Another intriguing match full of incident in Port of Spain saw the previous evening’s winners, Trinbago Knight Riders lose to Antigua & Barbuda Falcons by six wickets with an over to spare.

The win sees the Falcons keep their slim chances of progression alive and also gave them double bragging rights over the Knight Riders in this year’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Falcons won the toss and chose to field first, canny bowling restricted the Knight Riders to a below par 134-8, Kieron Pollard's 37-ball 47 giving the home side a shot in the arm on a dewy night that made run scoring quite tricky. Last evening’s man of the hour Tim David chipped in with 25 off 20 balls to help haul his side to a competitive total.

Justin Greaves then played a Player of the Match innings to give the Falcons their third victory in this year’s competition. Compiling a patient 46 off 48 balls he then retired himself at the death to allow a fresh, and bigger hitting teammate to finish the job. The somewhat risky decision ultimately paid off for the visitors.

Hassan Khan played a vital cameo with 36 off 20 deliveries and Imad Wasim was there at the end to see his side home in an eventful 19th over – in shades of the 2019 World Cup final - a deflection off the bat as the batter’s returned for the second run saw the ball run over the boundary rope and six runs awarded to the batting side. Eighteen runs were plundered off the Josh Little over in total with Fabian Allen nudging the winning runs to midwicket to seal the victory and keep the Falcons flying in this year’s CPL.

“To win at Queen's Park Oval is a special thing” said a beaming Greaves in the moments after the match. “We haven't had a great season but to beat TKR twice is good. We’re just happy with how things panned out. To get the win against Trinidad in Trinidad, their fortress, feels good. We have to take one game at a time. You never know..."

The Knight Riders finish the evening still in second position in the table and the Falcons ended it with a little hope that they could still salvage something from their 2024 CPL campaign.

West Indies legend Brian Lara believes Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) can justify favouritism in this year's Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament provided the team’s pedigree and cohesiveness stand out among their rivals.

Lara’s views came during the launch of his book on Tuesday and ahead of the Trinbago Knight Riders’ almighty clash with reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Queen's Park Oval on Wednesday.

While noting that the Twin Island Republic’s franchise boasts a deep squad of high-quality players, which makes them favourites, Lara pointed out that it is their performances that will account for whether or not they take home the title this season.

“I think obviously TKR will stand up as favourites every time,” Lara declared.

“When you look at the quality of players in the team, you would think they should go on to win. But again, in the past, we've seen the team that plays better win. It's not how many superstars you have,” he added.

With three wins and one loss so far this campaign, Trinbago Knight Riders currently sit fourth on six points, four points behind leaders Barbados Royals, who have played two games more. St Lucia Kings on eight points and Guyana Amazon Warriors on six points occupy the other playoff positions.

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (four points) and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (two points) are fifth and sixth, respectively.

Being the only franchise to win the tournament four times—2015 as Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, 2017, 2018, and 2020—Lara is of no doubt that Trinbago Knight Riders can add to their tally.

However, he stressed that it will take more than just talk and quality on paper.

“What we're hoping for with TKR is that togetherness. Individuals may win you a match, but teams win tournaments,” Lara reasoned.

“I'm hoping captain Kieron Pollard will keep the guys together; they work hard, be humble, and get the victory that's necessary,” he noted.

With both the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Guyana Amazon Warriors showing some degree of consistency so far this season, Wednesday’s clash is expected to be a humdinger to kickstart the former’s home leg of fixtures.

England all-rounder Chris Jordan will bolster the Knight Riders bowling attack as he replaces the injured American Ali Khan.

But the Amazon Warriors have also strengthened their bowling attack with the inclusion of Australian leg spinner Nathan Sowter, who temporarily replaces captain Imran Tahir, recovering from an injury.

Terrance Hinds smashed a six off the penultimate delivery as Trinbago Knight Riders ended Barbados Royals’ unbeaten record in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory at Kensington Oval on Friday.

Chasing 157, the Knight Riders needed 11 runs off the final over and appeared headed for defeat when Akeal Hosein fell off the third delivery with six runs still required.

But Jason Holder bowled a waist high full toss and on the subsequent delivery Hinds whacked a six down the ground off the free hit. The Knight Riders now move alongside the Royals with a 3-1 record.

The Royals had struggled to handle Knight Riders’ spinners and managed to post 156/7 thanks to an unbeaten 59 from 38 balls from skipper Rovman Powell.

The Knight Riders, last year’s finalists, elected to field and looked to continue their dominance over the Royals having beaten them twice last season.

The Royals made a disastrous start when opener Rahkeem Cornwall made his third straight duck after falling off the second delivery of the innings. Hosein struck again just two balls later when he trapped Alick Athanaze for a duck.

Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke consolidated before the South African was knocked over by a perfect wrong’un from Waqar Salamkheil to halt the Royals, who soon lost Holder for a duck.

The Royals struggled for boundaries in the middle overs before David Miller collared Hosein with a massive six over extra cover in the 13th over. Miller’s cameo ended at the hands of Salamkheil, who finished with a superb 3/13.

Powell had little of the strike before taking over with a slew of sixes, including off seamer Jayden Seales in the last over to reach his half-century in style.

The Knight Riders, who had strategised chasing amid dewy conditions, similarly had a poor start when Sunil Narine holed out to spinner Maheesh Theekshana on the first ball.

Opener Jason Roy started with a couple of glorious drives before being bamboozled by Theekshana to leave the contest delicately poised. After a brief rain delay, Shaqkere Parris was dropped on nine by Holder off Theekshana as Nicholas Pooran took control to steady the Knight Riders.

But his breezy 23-ball 35 ended with a spectacular double act in the deep when Powell caught the ball before flicking it to Holder just before he went over the boundary.

Parris had support from Keacy Carty as the Knight Riders appeared well on track needing 51 off 36 balls. The reintroduction of Theekshana in the 15th over did the trick as he lured Parris into a false shot triggering a collapse from the Knight Riders.

It set up a grandstand finish until Hinds’ late heroics stunned the local fans.

 Captain Kieron Pollard smashed a rapid half-century under pressure to lift Trinbago Knight Riders to a four wicket victory over Saint Lucia Kings in an entertaining Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

After the Kings posted 187-6, the Knight Riders were well on track thanks to a belligerent 57 from 33 balls from Shaqkere Parris before stuttering in the middle overs.

 With 27 runs needed off 12 balls, Pollard (52 not out off 19 balls) whacked four sixes off seamer Matthew Forde in the penultimate over before the Knight Riders ran down the target with five balls remaining to inflict defeat on the Kings. The Knight Riders moved to a record of 2-1, while the Kings are 2-2.

 After being routed for just 100 by Guyana Amazon Warriors, the Kings paced their innings well after being sent in to bat.

 Opener Johnson Charles got the Kings off to a flier with two sixes in three balls to spoil the 23th birthday of quick Jayden Seales.

 Skipper Faf du Plessis also chanced his arm and was dropped twice before his middle stump was knocked over by left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil in the eighth over.

 The Kings went through a lull in the middle overs, with Sunil Narine enjoying the spin-friendly conditions to finish with 2/13 from four overs.

 But Roston Chase (56 not out from 40 balls) stepped up in the latter overs and powered the Kings to a strong total.

 The Knight Riders needed a fast start and Narine obliged before falling to debutant left-arm quick Khari Campbell, who picked up the wicket with his sixth delivery.

 But Campbell was brought back to earth when he misjudged a skier in a lucky let off for Jason Roy on 10. Campbell's confidence was shaken and he succumbed to an assault from a rampaging Parris who cracked a trio of sixes in the fifth over.

 Parris raced to 31 off 9 balls as the Knight Riders continued to soar above the required run rate. He fittingly hit a six to reach his half-century off 20 balls as the Knight Riders reached triple figures in the ninth over.

 But Parris was less assured against vicious short-pitched bowling from Alzarri Joseph and on 54 he gloved a rearing delivery only for wicketkeeper Tim Seifert to fumble the chance after diving forward.

 Parris' momentum was halted and a clever bowling change led to his downfall when spinner Noor Ahmad lured him into a false shot. Keacy Carty struggled for fluency and in the 17th over was brilliantly caught by substitute fielder David Wiese, who dived at long on to take a stunner.

 The pressure fell on Pollard, who kept his calm with his first CPL half-century since 2021 to leave the local fans once again stunned.

Kieron Pollard played one of his trademark innings to help the Southern Brave secure an improbable victory over the Trent Rockets in the Men’s Hundred at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday.

After winning the toss and batting first, the Rockets posted 126-8 from their 100 balls.

Openers Tom Banton and Adam Lyth gave the Rockets a good start with a partnership of 46 for the first wicket before both went in quick succession for 30 and 16, respectively.

A series of starts from Alex Hales (15), Joe Root (16), Rovman Powell (16) and captain Lewis Gregory (19) propelled the Rockets to their score.

Chris Jordan was the pick of the bowlers for the Brave with 3-22 from his 20 balls while Jofra Archer and Danny Briggs took two wickets, each.

The Brave then needed 99 balls to reach 127-8 and secure victory.

After a 43-run opening partnership between Alex Davies and captain James Vince, the Brave lost a cluster of wickets very quickly, eventually struggling at 78-6, needing 49 from 20 balls.

Kieron Pollard, who at that point has scored six off 14 balls, faced up to Rashid Khan in a crucial set of five to likely determine the outcome of the game.

The former West Indies captain then produced one of the most brutal displays of hitting of his career, belting Khan for five sixes in a row to put the Brave firmly in control, now needing 19 from 15 for victory.

The momentum continued in the way of the brave as the next set of five balls went for 10 runs to leave the Brave needing nine runs off 10 balls.

Pollard’s innings came to an end off the first ball of the next set for a 23-ball 45 including two fours and five sixes, bringing Jofra Archer to the crease to join Chris Jordan.

With the Brave eventually needing four runs off two balls, Jordan hit Lewis Gregory for four over square leg to secure the win.

Nicholas Pooran led the way with a half-century as the Northern Superchargers secured a seven-wicket win over the Southern Brave to open their account in this season’s Hundred at Headingley in Leeds on Tuesday.

The Brave, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted 146-8 off their 100 balls thanks to a 22-ball 37 from former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard and cameos of 28 and 26 from Alex Davies and James Coles, respectively.

Callum Parkinson took 2-38 from his 20 balls of left-arm spin for the Superchargers.

The Superchargers then needed only 85 balls to reach 147-3 and secure their first win of the season.

Pooran than led the successful chase with 62 off 34 balls including four fours and five sixes while captain Harry Brook finished 34* off 20 balls including four fours and a six.

Opener Graham Clark also chipped in with 27.

Akeal Hosein took 1-19 off 15 balls for the Brave.

Full Scores:

Southern Brave 146-8 off 100 balls (Kieron Pollard 37, Alex Davies 28, James Coles 26, Callum Parkinson 2-38)

Northern Superchargers 147-3 off 85 balls (Nicholas Pooran 62, Harry Brook 34*, Graham Clark 27, Akeal Hosein 1-19, Jofra Archer 1-19)

Captain Faf du Plessis once again led from the front as the Texas Super Kings secured a nine-wicket win over defending champions MI New York in the eliminator of Major League Cricket 2024 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Wednesday.

The Super Kings, after winning the toss and electing to field first, restricted New York to 163-8 from their 20 overs.

Rashid Khan (55) and Monank Patel (48) were the top run scorers for MI against an important 2-18 off four overs from Marcus Stoinis. Aaron Hardie also took two wickets while Dwayne Bravo finished with 1-21 from 1.3 overs.

Texas then needed only 18.3 overs to reach 167-1 thanks to a 47-ball 72 from du Plessis, his third fifty of the season, including six fours and three sixes.

That knock now brings du Plessis’s run total to 375 from seven games, form that he will hope translates to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he will captain the St. Lucia Kings beginning August 29.

Devon Conway capitalized on some missed chances from the MI New York fielders to finish 51* while Hardie followed up his two wickets with 40* off 22 balls.

The Super Kings will now face the loser of the Qualifier between the Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns in the Challenger on Friday for a place in Sunday’s final.

Full Scores:

MI New York 163-8 off 20 overs (Rashid Khan 55, Monank Patel 48, Marcus Stoinis 2-18, Aaron Hardie 2-22)

Texas Super Kings 167-1 off 18.3 overs (Faf du Plessis 72, Devon Conway 51*, Aaron Hardie 40*)

On the back of a vintage display of power hitting from Captain Kieron Pollard and some responsible batting from Nicholas Pooran, defending champions MI New York booked a spot in the 2024 Major League Cricket Playoffs with a four-wicket win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Sunday.

Both teams entered Sunday’s clash knowing a win would be good enough for them to join the San Francisco Unicorns, Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings in the playoffs.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, MI New York restricted the LA Knight Riders to 130 all out off 19.1 overs.

The hard-hitting Andre Russell did the bulk of the scoring for the Sunil Narine-led knight Riders with 35 while Jason Roy hit 27 at the top of the innings.

Leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the pick of the New York bowlers with 3-22 from his four overs while Nosthush Kenjige and Trent Boult supported well with two wickets, each.

MI New York then needed only 17 overs to reach 134-6 and book their spot in the playoffs after winning just one of their first six games of the season.

Nicholas Pooran led the way with 35 off 28 balls but it was Pollard’s blistering 33* off just 12 balls that sealed victory.

Pooran’s knock included two fours and as many sixes while Pollard hit two fours and three sixes.

Dewald Brevis also chipped in with a 19-ball 27.

Narine took 2-24 from his four overs for the Knight Riders.

Full Scores:

LA Knight Riders 130 all out off 19.1 overs (Andre Russell 35, Jason Roy 27, Rashid Khan 3-22, Nosthush Kenjige 2-22, Trent Boult 2-38)

MI New York 134-6 off 17 overs (Nicholas Pooran 35, Kieron Pollard 33*, Dewald Brevis 27, Sunil Narine 2-24)

Nicholas Pooran hit 62* to lead defending champions MI New York to a six-wicket win over the Seattle Orcas to kick off the second edition of Major League Cricket at Church Street Park in Morrisville on Friday.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, the MI New York bowlers dominated the Orcas batting, restricting them to 108 all out off 19.1 overs.

Shubham Ranjane (35), Harmeet Singh (20) and Aaron Jones (12) were the only batsmen to reach double figures for the Orcas against 3-22 and 3-25 from eight overs combined from superstars Rashid Khan and Trent Boult, respectively.

Captain Kieron Pollard also chipped in with 2-11 from his 2.1 overs.

It then took MI New York only 14.2 overs to reach 111-4 with Pooran finishing 62* off 37 balls, his 41^st T20 half-century.

His knock included seven fours and two sixes.

Full Scores:

Seattle Orcas 108 all out off 19.1 overs (Shubham Ranjane 35, Rashid Khan 3-22, Trent Boult 3-25)

MI New York 111-4 off 14.2 overs (Nicholas Pooran 62*, Cameron Gannon 2-40)

Cricket West Indies (CWI) vice president Azim Bassarath has declared his intentions to join the effort to possibly coerce spinner Sunil Narine to come out of international retirement for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States.

Bassarath's declaration follows that of West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, who has led the charge of trying to get Narine back to the regional setup ahead of the June 1-29 global showpiece.

Narine, 35, confirmed his retirement from the international game last November. However, after a stellar 56-ball 109 for Kolkota Knight Riders (KKR) against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL tie on April 16, Powell said he’s been trying to coax Narine to rejoin the squad for the past year “but he’s blocked out everyone.”

At the same time, the Jamaican revealed that he sought the assistance of Nicholas Pooran and retired international stars Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo to convince their compatriot to return. Former maroon fast bowler Tony Gray also believes Narine would be a welcomed addition to Darren Sammy's side to challenge for a third T20 World Cup title.

West Indies won the 2012 and 2016 editions of the tournament.

After KKR's IPL win against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 14, Narine when asked about the possibility of returning to the West Indies team by former West Indies teammate Samuel Badree, pointed out that “I will be watching from home, Badree.”

However, Narine in another interview on Tuesday, appeared to soften his stance about making the proverbial U-turn, when he said, “It is what it is, but we'll have to see what the future holds.”

Bassarath explained that he has tried unsuccessfully to make contact with Narine, but he intends to keep at it.

“I haven’t spoken to him [Narine], and he hasn’t spoken to me. Everybody is asking for him to change his mind and come represent West Indies, at least for this last chance. It is my intention to give him a shout, and if I have to beg him to come back and make himself available to play in this tournament. Because this is what the people need," he said in a T&T Newsday article.

Bassarath, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Bassarath also revealed that he reached out to Queen’s Park Cricket Club president Nigel Camacho – Narine’s domestic club – for help.

“I have also spoken to the QPCC president, and he indicated to me that he will also reach out to Sunil to see if he can change his mind to come on board," he shared.

West Indies are set to open their T20 World Cup campaign against Papa New Guinea in Guyana, on June 2.  Afghanistan, New Zealand, and Uganda are the other teams in the group.

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2024 draft of The Hundred, five West Indies power-hitting batters clinched top-bracket contracts, setting the stage for an electrifying season ahead. The draft, held on Wednesday, saw these dynamic players securing lucrative deals worth £125,000 each, promising an explosive display of cricketing prowess when the latest season of The Hundred kicks off on July 23.

The Northern Superchargers made the headlines by selecting Nicholas Pooran as their first pick, highlighting the team's strategic focus on acquiring top-tier talent. Pooran's exceptional batting prowess and aggressive style make him a formidable force on the field, adding depth and flair to the Superchargers' lineup.

London Spirit secured the services of two West Indian powerhouses, with Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer joining their ranks. Known for their ability to smash boundaries with ease, Russell and Hetmyer are expected to bring an exciting brand of cricket to the Spirit camp, captivating fans with their explosive stroke play.

Meanwhile, Southern Brave strengthened their batting lineup by acquiring the services of Kieron Pollard, adding the experienced all-rounder's firepower to their arsenal. Pollard's ability to turn the game on its head with his big-hitting prowess makes him a valuable asset for the Brave as they aim for glory in The Hundred.

Rovman Powell emerged as a top pick for Trent Rockets, further solidifying the West Indian presence in the tournament. Powell's aggressive batting style and knack for scoring quick runs make him a perfect fit for the Rockets' lineup, providing the team with a dynamic middle-order batsman capable of changing the course of a game single-handedly.

While the draft brought joy to these five West Indian stars, there was disappointment for Trinidad and Tobago's mystery spinner Sunil Narine, who went undrafted. Despite his absence from the draft, Narine remains a formidable force in the world of cricket, with his unique bowling skills and all-round abilities.

Power hitter Kieron Pollard upstaged Babar Azam's landmark outing in Lahore, as Karachi Kings cruised to an emphatic seven-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday.

Chasing 155, Pollard bludgeoned an unbeaten 49 off 21 balls with four towering sixes and four boundaries to take Kings home in 16.5 overs for their first win in the tournament.

Babar's landmark 271^st T20 in which he became the fastest batter to reach 10,000 runs saw Zalmi getting bowled out for 154 in 19.5 overs after the Kings won the toss and elected to field.

Babar followed his half-century in the first game against Quetta Gladiators with a knock of 72 off 51 balls, but his effort went in vain for the second successive game.

Zalmi's innings revolved around Babar's brilliance after it lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay with Shoaib Malik dismissing Saim Ayub off the first ball with a full-pitched delivery that didn't turn much. Hasan Ali, playing against his former franchise, also had a dream start when he knocked back Tom Kohler-Cadmore's off stump off his first ball.

Babar revived the innings with Rovman Powell (39) in a 68-run stand and Asif Ali scored 23 before Peshawar lost its last six wickets for only 18 runs in the last four overs. Powell top-edged a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz a while Asif holed out at long-on.

Left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza (3-28), who bowled to hard lengths with the new ball, chipped in with the wickets of Aamer Jamal and then took a fine return catch to dismiss Babar in his last over as the Zalmi innings folded quickly.

Pollard brought an early finish when he smashed three straight sixes and two fours in a 27-run over against Afghanistan's left-arm wrist spinner Waqar Salamkheil, one of the two changes Zalmi made after losing the first match by 16 runs. Salamkheil conceded 54 off his four overs and got Malik stumped for run-a-ball 29.

James Vince remained unbeaten on 38 and ended up denying Pollard a chance at a much-deserved half-century when he drove Luke Wood (2-20) for the winning boundary in the 17th over.

Kings, who lost their first game against Multan Sultans by 55 runs, have two points from two games while Zalmi is still looking for their first win.

The boys in Maroon benefitted from a session with former West Indies all-rounder Pollard. With plenty of experience in international cricket and high-octane global T20 leagues, Pollard was able to share his words of wisdom with the upcoming cricketers from the region.

Pollard featured in 123 ODIs for West Indies and scored 2706 runs at a strike rate of 94.41. He also scored three centuries and 13 fifties. In the T20I format, the all-rounder scored 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14. He also picked 55 ODI and 42 T20I wickets.

He was a part of the West Indies side that lifted the 2012 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and has also come through the ranks, playing the U19 World Cup in 2006.

Youngster Jordan Johnson thanked Pollard for his encouragement, "We'd like to thank you guys for coming up, and giving us your words of encouragement and motivation. And I hope that they'll use it to the best of their abilities. To help us throughout the World Cup. Thank you!"

West Indies begin their campaign on the opening day of the tournament, taking against hosts South Africa in Potchefstroom. Apart from the Proteas, they'll go up against England and Scotland in their group.

Heinrich Klaasen was at his belligerent best to help Durban’s Super Giants secure an 11-run win over Kieron Pollard’s MI Cape Town via the DLS method in the Betway SA T20 at Kinsmead in Durban on Thursday.

MI Cape Town first posted a formidable 207-5 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Super Giants.

Opener Ryan Rickleton hit six fours and six sixes on his way to an excellent top score of 87 from 51 balls while Pollard, who replaced the injured Rashid Khan ad Captain for the tournament, hit a brutal 31 from 14 balls including four fours and a six in the latter part of the innings.

Guyanese all-rounder Keemo Paul took 2-31 from his four overs for the Super Giants.

The chase got off to a less than impressive start as Durban lost Quinton De Kock (5) and Wiaan Milder (5) within the first three overs with 12 runs on the board.

A 40-run third wicket partnership between opener Matthew Breetzke and Paul steadied proceedings a bit before Paul fell off the bowling of English speedster Ollie Stone for 15.

His wicket brought Klaasen to the crease and he put the team on his back with a magnificent 35-ball 85 including four fours and eight massive sixes.

Breetzke ended up making 39 off 24 balls.

The wickets of those two along with Nicholas Pooran for just 11 meant that the Super Giants were 177-6 off 16.3 overs when the rains came and ended play for the day.

Thankfully for the Super Giants, the Duckworth Lewis Stern par score was 166 at the time.

South African ace Kagiso Rabada took 2-23 from three overs for MI Cape Town.